Minister of National Defense Wellington Koo (顧立雄) yesterday said next month’s Han Kuang military exercises would involve the largest ever mobilization of reservists for the annual drills, which are being extended to improve the Taiwan’s response to “gray zone” harassment by China.
The Han Kuang exercises, which the defense ministry said would be held from July 9 to 18, are conducted every year across Taiwan to train its armed forces as China ramps up military pressure on the nation.
Koo yesterday told the Legislative Yuan that as many as 22,000 reservists would be called up to take part in the exercises, up from 14,647 last year.
Photo: Tu Chien-jung, Taipei Times
“Our main objective is to verify how much time it takes for a reserve brigade to regain full combat capability after being called up,” Koo said.
Taiwan maintains a standing call-up system to train its reservists, and the mobilization this year would be expanded as part of the annual military drills.
The Ministry of National Defense said the annual drills would be extended to 10 days and nine nights, compared with five days and four nights last year.
Koo said the most significant change would be the inclusion of “gray zone harassment” scenarios, simulating a military escalation based on “regional developments.”
Taiwan accuses China of using “gray zone” tactics — actions that fall short of an act of war — to weaken its defenses.
Beijing regularly deploys fighter jets, warships and coast guard ships near Taiwan, and has held several major military exercises around the nation over the past few years.
The Taiwan reservists called up would undergo a full 14-day training program, 10 days of which would be dedicated to participation in the drills.
In March, the ministry said it would simulate possible scenarios for a Chinese invasion in 2027 during Han Kuang drills.
In related news, Taiwan would issue new air-raid guidance for citizens next week, learning lessons from Ukraine and Israel in case it needs to counter a Chinese military attack, according to security officials and internal planning documents reviewed by Reuters.
“Taiwan is looking very closely into the cases from Ukraine and Israel,” a senior security official briefed on the matter said.
“Our people must know how to protect themselves, either at home or in office,” said the official, who requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter.
Authorities would update instructions on what people should do when air-raid alerts are issued, including for citizens who are not able to get into shelters in time or for those who are driving a car, according to the government planning documents.
That includes instructions on hiding behind “at least two layers of walls” and “staying in the down position while opening your mouth slightly” in a scenario when people could not immediately get to an air-raid shelter.
“In metropolitan Taiwan, the reality is that many residents of high-rise buildings may not be able to get to the designated air-raid shelters quickly within three minutes,” a second security official said, adding that the government is working to get citizens to learn “alternative” ways to protect themselves.
Civil defense drills including rehearsals on setting up emergency supply stations would be held across the nation alongside the Han Kuang military exercises, the two officials said.
Taiwan has been preparing air-raid shelters across the nation, including in subway stations and shopping malls, after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine raised new fears about a Chinese invasion.
Taipei alone has more than 4,600 such shelters that can accommodate about 12 million people, more than four times its population.
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